Ready to use catheter assemblies are often used for intermittent catheterization by users without control of the bladder. This is often the case after spinal cord injuries. Therefore, these catheter assemblies must be easy to use and must allow a safe application even for users with limited manual dexterity. As the catheter of the ready to use catheter assembly is used for intermittent catheterization, it must have a low-friction surface to avoid injuries of the urethra wall when inserting the catheter into the urethra. As these catheters are very slippery when touched, the handling of the catheters is even more difficult.
In order to avoid infections of the urinary tract, the whole catheterization process must be as sterile as possible. Therefore, direct hand contact with at least the parts of the catheter that are inserted into the urethra should be avoided.
WO 2010/006620 A1 already shows a catheter assembly used for intermittent catheterization. The catheter assembly comprises a hydrophilic coated catheter with a protective sleeve that at least partly surrounds the catheter shaft. In a storage position, the protective sleeve is compressed at a distal end of the catheter. The distal end of the protective sleeve is attached to the connector of the catheter and the proximal end of the protective sleeve is attached to the package by a weak attachment. When the catheter package is opened, and the catheter is removed from the package, the protective sleeve is pulled over the catheter shaft until its maximum length is reached. Thereafter, the weak attachment between the sleeve and the package breaks and the catheter with the protective sleeve can be completely removed from the package. However, when opening the package, uncovered parts of the catheter shaft are exposed to the exterior and can be accidentally touched by the user or objects in the surroundings of the catheter and can be contaminated so that they are no longer in a sterile state.